At a Glance
- Tasks: Design engaging social storytelling formats and video narratives for BBC News.
- Company: Join the BBC, a leader in innovative journalism and storytelling.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working hours, 25 days annual leave, and professional development.
- Why this job: Shape how audiences experience news on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Qualifications: Experience with After Effects and Figma; strong design and motion skills.
- Other info: Inclusive environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 29000 - 38000 ÂŁ per year.
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: ÂŁ34,000 - ÂŁ44,850 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights. Weâre happy to discuss flexible working. If youâd like to, please indicate your preference in the application â though thereâs no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.
JOB PURPOSE: You will help shape how audiences experience BBC News across social and emerging platforms by designing compelling social storytelling formats and videoâled narratives. This role focuses on creating highâimpact, platformânative stories and building the templates and components that enable teams to publish quickly and consistently. You will combine strong design craft with motion expertise to bring clarity, pace, and visual distinction to our journalism.
WHY JOIN THE TEAM: The Storytelling & Formats team sits at the centre of BBC News's visual storytelling across digital and social channels. We develop the formats, motion systems and reusable components that define how stories perform on web and platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other social surfaces. As a Designer with motion skills, you will work closely with journalists, social editors, and platform specialists to translate editorial priorities into distinctive, shareable storytelling. You will design, build, and document templates and motion patterns and contribute to evolving our crossâplatform design system to better serve socialâfirst publishing.
YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:
- Build and maintain reusable After Effects templates for fast newsroom publishing.
- Create scalable Figma components aligned with the BBC News design system.
- Collaborate with journalists and social editors to shape socialâvideo narratives.
- Translate complex stories into clear, accessible, visually compelling motion sequences.
YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE â KEY CRITERIA:
- Proven experience building After Effects templates for social workflows.
- Working knowledge of Figma, including components and responsive layout systems.
- Strong understanding of social platform conventions and performance needs.
- Excellent typographic, layout and motion craft with clear narrative thinking.
DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:
- Experience creating motion guidelines or contributing to brand systems.
- Familiarity with Premiere Pro or comparable editing tools.
- Experience working in agile or multidisciplinary product environments.
- Background in a newsroom or fastâpaced media setting.
- Exposure to experimental storytelling formats or emerging platforms.
Life at the BBC: At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the worldâs best loved content, and the BBCâs mission to inform, educate and entertain. Here you will benefit from: Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym. Excellent career and professional development. Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer. A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.
You belong: We have a working environment where we value and respect every individualâs unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential. We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioâeconomic background, religion and/or belief.
Disability confident: We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and weâd be happy to discuss: reasonable.adjustments@bbc.co.uk
Designer, BBC News Design in London employer: BBC Group and Public Services
Contact Detail:
BBC Group and Public Services Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Designer, BBC News Design in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those at the BBC or similar organisations. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that job descriptions just can't.
â¨Tip Number 2
Show off your work! Create a portfolio that highlights your best design projects, especially those involving motion graphics. Make sure itâs easy to navigate and visually appealing â just like your designs!
â¨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by understanding the BBC's style and values. Familiarise yourself with their recent projects and think about how your skills can contribute to their storytelling goals.
â¨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, you can easily indicate your interest in flexible working options right from the start.
We think you need these skills to ace Designer, BBC News Design in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Show Off Your Skills: Make sure to highlight your experience with After Effects and Figma in your application. We want to see how you can bring your design craft to life, so include examples of your work that showcase your motion expertise and storytelling abilities.
Tailor Your Application: Donât just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description. This shows us that youâre genuinely interested in the role and understand what weâre looking for.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured applications that are easy to read. Use bullet points where necessary to make your skills and experiences stand out!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly and allows you to keep track of your application status easily.
How to prepare for a job interview at BBC Group and Public Services
â¨Know Your Tools Inside Out
Make sure you're well-versed in After Effects and Figma. Brush up on how to create templates and components that align with the BBC News design system. Being able to demonstrate your technical skills during the interview will show that youâre ready to hit the ground running.
â¨Showcase Your Storytelling Skills
Prepare examples of your previous work that highlight your ability to translate complex stories into engaging visual narratives. Bring a portfolio that showcases your motion craft and narrative thinking, especially in social media contexts.
â¨Understand the Audience
Familiarise yourself with the conventions and performance needs of various social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Be ready to discuss how you would tailor your designs to fit these platforms and engage their audiences effectively.
â¨Collaborate and Communicate
Since this role involves working closely with journalists and social editors, think about how you can demonstrate your collaborative skills. Prepare to discuss past experiences where you successfully worked in a team to create compelling content.